What is “American” in plumbing - types, features and installation methods

“American” in plumbing is a fitting that appeared later than the others.It was invented in America, hence the name that Russian masters came up with. Its purpose is to connect pipes and plumbing together, shut-off valves.

In essence, the “American” is a replacement for the usual squeezing. But at the same time, it belongs to the category of detachable connections, hence its demand.

What is “American” in plumbing: design and characteristics

"American" consists of two parts:

1. Squeegee with double-sided thread.
2. Squeegee with one-sided thread. At the opposite end of the thread there is a collar. The end of the first run rests against it. There is also a union nut located here, which is screwed onto the end of the first bend, which rests against the collar. Inside it there is a sealing collar that ensures the tightness of the connection. It can be rubber or polymer.

The pressure that this fitting can withstand is applied to the body of the product. Temperature – up to +120 ℃.

Main applications in plumbing

"American" - universal fitting, and is also detachable, which makes it easy to disconnect sections or entire circuits without resorting to drastic methods, for example, cutting pipes. Hence its high demand.

In household pipe lines, it is used at the junctions of plumbing fixtures and measuring instruments.For example, when installing water meters, filters, shut-off valves. It is used to connect heating radiators, heating boilers and boilers, circulation pumps.

The frequent use of “American” is justified. After all, this is a detachable connection. If there is a need to repair or replace any plumbing fixture, you just need to unscrew the union nut on the fitting. This can be done by hand or using a wrench. It will take 1-2 minutes to open the joint, no more. No effort or complex cutting equipment.

At the same time, using the “American” you can connect pipes made of different materials: metal-plastic, metal-metal, plastic-plastic. It is this quality that increases the versatility of the product.

Benefits of connection

The list of advantages is long:

• versatility;
• speed of installation;
• easier to use in hard-to-reach places compared to sweeping and coupling;
• good technical characteristics;
• compactness of the connection;
• American in plumbing can be used after its dismantling;
• 100% tightness of the joint;
• high strength fitting;
• service life – 30 years;
• low price.

What types of “American women” are there?

“American” is widely represented on the market. Here, not only the dimensions, but also the shape, type of connection, and raw material are different. Therefore, in each case, a specific fitting is selected for plumbing.

Types of American connection fasteners

The pipeline part has two thread positions:

• cylindrical thread;
• conical

The first is a standard product, most often used in plumbing. It has all threaded ends - straight cylinders. The second one has a cone-shaped slope. It has a tapered thread.A distinctive feature of the second connection is its high tightness. Therefore, additional sealing is not used here. sealing material.

Two more advantages of tapered thread:

1. When the two pipe elements being connected are displaced relative to the joint axis, the tightness does not suffer. But only if the displacement does not exceed 5º.
2. There is no gasket in the design, so the seal is not lost due to temperature changes.

American shape for plumbing fixtures

There are also two varieties:

• straight;
• corner

The first is used when it is necessary to connect pipes located on the same axis. The second is located at right angles.

Features of the American crane

Ball valves have taken a special position in plumbing. They are easy to install and use, have a high degree of tightness, and increased reliability in terms of the absence of leaks during operation. Manufacturers offer many types ball valves, where the American crane is not the most popular specimen.

Although we must pay tribute to the fact that with the help of just such a crane there is no need to use additional elements and fittings for the pipe line. For example, to connect a regular ball valve to a pipe, you need to weld a bend to its end.

More often, this element of plumbing is installed on the radiators of the heating system. At the coolant inlet, at the outlet.

It turns out that the tap itself in this type of shut-off valve performs the functions of not only a shut-off device, but also a connecting element. In the “American” coupling, it is performed by a drive with threads at both ends.

What materials is it made from?

The materials are practically the same as those used in the production of any type of shut-off valves for plumbing:

• steel;
• cast iron;
• brass.

The first category includes stainless steel products. High quality fitting, but expensive.

The latter are used mainly when laying large-diameter pipes. There is no GOST for this product. Manufacturers use the standards that are used in the production of cast iron nuts.

Brass “Americans” are the most popular type: inexpensive, with good characteristics, and a long service life. To increase the latter figure, manufacturers apply a layer of chromium or nickel to the surface of the fitting.

With the advent of plastic steel pipes on the market, combined “American pipes” for plumbing are being produced. The connected parts of the product remained metal. But the pipes are made of plastic. Therefore, this variety is used to connect plastic pipes. This category also includes “American women”, one part of which is metal, the other is combined.

How to install American in plumbing

For example, to connect two pipes together using an “American” pipe, you need to prepare the ends of the first ones - cut a thread on them and screw in a one-way coupling. Then the sequence is as follows:

1. The fitting fittings are screwed into both couplings.
2. First, a union nut is put on one of them, with a collar.
3. The union nut is screwed onto the thread of the second part.

If it is necessary to connect the pipe to heating radiator, then everything happens like this:

1. The “American” part is screwed into the radiator, which does not have a union nut.
2. The second part is attached to the pipe, according to the previous scheme.
3. Both parts are connected with a union nut.

If plastic pipes are joined, the connection is made using soldering. A combined version is used here.

What key is needed for the “American”

You can install “American” plumbing using different tools. The main thing is not to reduce the quality of the pipe connection. The simplest and most reliable tool is an adjustable wrench. But they use it if you need to tighten the union nut. The gas analogue cannot be used here.

If you need to screw, for example, a threaded part into a heating radiator, then more often you take the same adjustable wrench for this, because special “American” ones are made for heating batteries - with a hexagon on the drive without a nut. It is the hexagon that helps with installation.

There are other types of fittings where the hexagon is missing. Therefore, for this option, in order to tighten the squeegee, a special, also known as universal, key is required. It has its own name - a stepped key for the “American”.

It got its name from its shape. These are several cylinders located on the same axis, of different diameters. The last indicator determines the hole inside the fitting, that is, its internal diameter.

On the key, on its stepped part, there are two grooves located on opposite sides of the tool. Inside the drive there are two ears made for them, with dimensions for the grooves. The key is inserted so that the fitting ears fit into the grooves of the tool. When the key is rotated, the first ones rest against the walls of the second ones - this is how pressure is created. There is a rotation of the “American” drive.

There are several modifications of this tool. One of them is with a ratchet. The second is a flat stepped key. End models in the form of hexagons are used. The latter can be solid (monolithic), detachable - hexagon separately, handle separately.

About the handle. Three forms are mainly used:

• straight;
• L-shaped;
• in the shape of a lamb - perpendicular to the axis of the key.

Some masters make keys for “American women” themselves. Because this tool is not cheap.

Now you know everything about the “American” used in plumbing. If anyone wants to add information, we will be happy to read it in the comments. Save the material in your bookmarks so that you can return to it at any time.

Read the article: Rating of the best wrenches.